NSW paramedics plan a strike after receiving an ‘insulting’ pay offer from the state government

Paramedics plan new strike where they will only attend the most urgent life-threatening emergencies after ‘insulting’ pay rise offer

  • NSW paramedics will continue their wages spat with the state government
  • They will only be attending the most urgent, life threatening cases on Tuesday
  • Paramedics have only received a 0.3 per cent wage increase since last year
  • This is despite dealing with the ravaging fire and floods as well as coronavirus 

NSW paramedics will continue their wages spat with the state government by only attending the most urgent, life threatening cases on the day the budget is delivered.

The Health Services Union says the action on Tuesday follows an ‘insulting’ pay offer from the state government.

It will be a repeat of last week’s action that saw paramedics across the state impose the same restrictions over the government’s 1.5 per cent pay offer, which was rejected by the union in May.

HSU NSW Secretary Gerard Hayes says despite dealing with the coronavirus pandemic and fires and floods, last year, paramedics only got a 0.3 per cent pay increase.

NSW paramedics will continue their wages spat with the state government by only attending the most urgent, life threatening cases on the day the budget is delivered

This year’s 1.5 per cent pay offer is less than the rate of inflation, which NSW Treasury forecasts at 2.2 per cent for the coming year.

‘Our paramedics are seeking a very basic pay rise that allows them to do their job with dignity and respect. This is modest, affordable and very well deserved,’ Mr Hayes said.

The government is facing a staff retention crisis over the issue, he said.

‘Paramedics can cross the border into Canberra and earn several hundred dollars more per week,’ he said.

‘NSW taxpayers should be alarmed by this.

‘We are spending hundreds of thousands to train and equip paramedics only to lose them interstate because the government won’t pay a decent wage,’ he said.

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